Saint
Blase

Although Saint Blase is one of the more
prominent saints in Catholic tradition, his origins are obscure. According
to legend, Blase was an Armenian Bishop
who was martyred, around 316 A.D., during the persecutions of the Roman
Emperor Licinius.
These persecutions were the most vicious and widespread--and the last--of
the Roman Empire's efforts to snuff out Christianity for refusing to
submit to the Roman state religion of Jupiter.

Other scholarship, however, suggests that St.
Blase (also spelled "Blaise") bears some
of the attributes of the Slavic horse-god
Vlaise, who was, among other things, the god of animals.

Saint Blase was reported to have
hidden from the Roman authorities by living in a cave with wild animals,
whom he tamed by blessing. Blase was
discovered by hunters who saw him curing sick and wounded animals. The
hunters captured him and took him to the government.

As Blase was on his way to prison, he
encountered a mother whose boy was choking to death on a fishbone.
Blase blessed the boy's throat, and
dissolved the fishbone.

During Blase's imprisonment, the
mother brought him food and candles. After being ripped by wool-combs,
Blase was beheaded.

The first evidence of a cult of Blase dates to 8th century Armenia. Blase was
always invoked for ailments of the throat; after the crusades, his
notoriety spread to Western Europe, and persons who went to church on
February 3, his feast day, began to have their throats blessed.

The custom of using two candles in the blessing derives from the
candles which the choking boy's mother brought to
Blase.

Saint Blase is recognized as the
patron of wild animals, wool combers, and all persons who have ailments of
the throat. Sick cattle are sometimes given water with the blessing of St.
Blase. Four miracles have been recorded
at his shrine.

In Germany, Sweden, and Hungary, St. Blase was revered as one of the
"fourteen holy helpers," a set of martyrs known for intercession in
cases of sickness.

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